Chilled Lemongrass-Cucumber Soup with Lobster

By ltrodrigu

We Americans tend to douse our lobster with butter and mayonnaise as a first resort, but chef Michael Hung of Faith & Flower in Los Angeles encourages home cooks to experiment with the heat, acid and aromatics central to Southeast Asian cuisine, all of which marry well with lobster's sweet, delicately flavored meat. At his restaurant, Mr. Hung uses fragrant lemongrass and ginger to brighten simple boiled lobster in this cooling summer soup.

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 lemongrass stalks, tender interior of bottom halves only, thinly sliced
• 2 English cucumbers, peeled and chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger
• 1/2 cup diced shallot
• 6 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3 gallons water
• 2 (1-pound) live lobsters
• 1/8 teaspoon piment d'espelette or freshly ground black pepper

Details

Adapted from online.wsj.com

Preparation

Step 1

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add lemongrass and fry until cooked through, 2-3 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine lemongrass, cucumbers, ginger, shallots and 2 tablespoons salt. Let sit 30 minutes, then process in a blender or food processor until nearly smooth. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice and season with additional salt to taste. Chill in refrigerator at least 3 hours.

In a large pot, bring remaining salt and 3 gallons water to a boil over high heat. Kill each lobster by plunging a knife in at base of head. Separate claws and tails from body. Place claws and tails in pot, cooking claws 5 minutes and tail 7 minutes. Immediately transfer cooked lobster pieces to a bowl of ice water.

Carefully pull meat from shells, making sure to remove cartilage from claw meat. Slice lobster meat into 1-inch pieces and place in a small bowl. Pour remaining lemon juice and 4 tablespoons olive oil over meat and let marinate 20 minutes before serving.

Ladle soup into chilled bowls and top with lobster meat. Drizzle remaining olive oil over each bowl and then finish with a dusting of piment d'espelette.